How To Restore A Barnes Foot Powered Mortiser

Bringing Back to Life a Barnes Foot powered morticer.
This is a W. F. & J. Barnes Foot Powered Mortiser. Barnes was known for making many foot-powered tools, and I have wanted this morticer for a long time.
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[@chrisemens4022]

75 years from now someone is going to come across this and confidently declare that it is vintage Rockler.

[@bobdriggers6111]

Now thats entertainment folks!

[@jeremywalker666]

Funny little story about J.B. Weld. When I was younger, I traveled way out into the country to buy an old cutlass that had a price tag that I could not pass on. When I arrived, I seen why it was so cheap. The owner failed to tell me that the block was cracked. He had repaired it with J.B. Weld. He dropped the price even more where I'd make overhead if I just took it straight to the scrap yard. I bought it and ended up driving that car for over 10 years. Never once had a problem with the crack. J.B. Weld is just a great product.

[@KeepItBrick]

I have absolutely no idea what a Barnes foot mortiser is, nor have I done any woodworking in my life but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to watch this video start to finish! Hopefully I’ll learn something new by the end of it, I always seem to with these videos! Edit: Just finished the video and loved seeing the impressive worksmanship on the hardwood implant for the main plank (I think that’s the word!). I can’t wait to see another video about diving into its history and more about the use of it. By the way, I figured out what a Barnes foot mortiser is! Barnes = Brand Foot = How it’s operated Mortiser = What it does And they say the Internet is just full of misinformation..

[@lejlej]

This is exactly the perfect level of restoration. I really like the reference to "I'm blue".

[@leroybarker8510]

I am finding that I get a lot of enjoyment in restoring old tools, be they hand or power. It just feels good to take something most people would throw away and bring it back to life.

[@lv_woodturner3899]

A wonderful machine. Very good work on the cleanup/restore. If the JB Weld breaks, consider either getting someone to braze it together which will last forever, or have a local machinist drill and pin the pieces together. I purchased a second hand milling machine. I planned on getting some of the rubber floor mats which link together. Before I got the mats I dropped the lever which raises/lowers the knee. This has 7 teeth vs the common 9 teeth on a Bridgeport. One of the teeth broke off. The part is obsolete so I would have to machine one from scratch. I used JB Weld to hold the tooth in place, then drilled and pinned. Six years later it is still working well. Rust can cause major issues in getting things apart. Glad this all came apart without damage.

[@rawr2u190]

That looks really good! I like how you kept that particular piece unpainted.

[@KarlBunker]

Is this the Foot Tool Rescue channel? It looks beautiful, and it's great to see a venerable old tool returned to smooth working order!

[@larryjellison1331]

Lately it seems like more and more of the tools in my shop are there just because they are a lot of fun to play with. Thanks for the great video James, and all the knowledge you share with us.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

You should do it up in your blue BUT redo all the pin striping in red or black!!! Barnes made machines when they were meant to last a lifetime and BE BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Wish I had one, particularly your foot lathe!!!!!

[@JackFright]

And another great restoration! These are fun, James, please keep them coming.

[@jasonanderson420]

Those claw feet are awesome and look so good cleaned up and painted

[@caneycreekwoodcarver]

The only other one I have seen still working and not in a museum is Roy Underhills. Nice tool. I will be making plans to come and get it from you soon. LOL

[@geraldeddy5581]

Always love to see tool restoration even with a production tool. Great video and great job restoring it!

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

I have never seen one of those before and I doubt I will ever see one here in UK. It looks amazing - and thanks for giving me a sleepless night ahead thinking about it!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

There use to be one but I have not heard if they started it back up yet. You should start one.

[@DreamWorksWoodShop]

Hey James, awesome job on restoring that mortising machine. I met you at the Fredericksburg woodworkers Guild when you came down to do a guest appearance I just had to laugh when you were prepping it to paint I thought I saw a tablesaw in the garage?? the one with a lot of cobwebs and dust on it. Lol. 😂😂Enjoy your content buddy Thanks for sharing. Tim our guild Prez and I make sure we spread the word and watch every chance we get! Make it a great weekend!! 😎✌️

[@pickletreewoodcraft7858]

Such an awesome tool I’m glad you’re able to get it up and working again and also like your choice to save some originality!

[@bretthennigh731]

I do hope you get the pen stripping put on it. You could try one of your kids to do it. That is what I did with some of my pieces on my equipment. It turned out great. Thank for the rebuild it is nice to see someone saving great creations from our past.

[@franky47]

I'm turning an old Singer treadle sawing machine base into a foot-powered bench grinder. Hand tools are cool, but foot tools are even cooler.

[@fundi_mike]

Made me really nervous seeing you wacking on the handle with the mallet - screaming at the screen "STOOOOP it's going to break" - cast iron is so brittle... so glad it worked out in the end. Also if you have not already seen it, you should check out Keith Rucker's restoration series of "the Diresta bandsaw" - he demonstrated doing the pin-striping not long ago (episode 27 on the bandsaw restoration I think). Also got major envy on your Mortiser love it ;-)

[@kenny-anjanettehorn7722]

Very cool. Seeing these tools put back in use is great.

[@Youzack1]

Beautiful resto on an awesome tool! Thanks James!

[@jeremywalker666]

Beautiful tool and another beautiful job James

[@davidozab2753]

Just set up a bench grinder with a wire wheel. Great tool!

[@kencarlile1212]

Yup, definitely channeling HTR.

[@michaelgreen429]

Another great video. I enjoyed seeing your choices on keeping the paint vs repainting. It came out looking sharp.

[@michaeldoto4673]

Came out beautiful James.

[@OpossumPiper]

Orange pin-striping on the blue would be 🔥

[@sal1964]

Nice job. I love to restore old tools sometimes I just buy them so I can restore them.

[@iainmcculloch5807]

That looked like such a fun project.

[@perstaunstrup3451]

Down below. 😎 Beautiful tool and nice restoration.

[@TheKiwicuz]

For pin stripping i seen sign writers use a long dowel with rubber foot on base then steady the pin stripping brush along the dowel

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

yup. but my hands are not steady enough for even that.

[@AllanMacMillan]

That's a really interesting old tool, and the restoration turned out very well. You got it fully functional and looking great too!

[@gandalf1124]

Cool. I cant see my self ever needing one of these, but that does not prevent me from wanting one :)

[@gregpreston7301]

Excellent as usual James. Although I think in future I'm no longer referring to you as my favorite Hand Tool Woodworker ... you are now to be known as my favorite Human Powered Tool Woodworker. (Nevermind, that's to hard to say, but I'll be thinking it.) 🤔😉🙃 As always, I appreciate all you do. -- Greg

[@XyerDark]

Might be a good idea to glue 2 small pieces of leather on those stoppers just in case you're gonna use this on some pretty soft wood, both so the stoppers don't dent the wood and to keep it from jumping so much since the chisel seems to like and get stuck in there if you apply a lot of pressure.

[@ssrattus]

Great work James!

[@emerald1587]

What a pleasure to see this, as always. I noticed that the mortis chisel does not have square edges, but is slightly tapered. Hew & Awe recently published a video highlighting the superiority of square mortis chisels. What is your opinion about this? Could this be a topic in one of your next videos?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

They actually offered the chisels in both styles. Because it really just comes down to personal preference. Honestly I have chisels in both and I really don't care that much.

[@ubbeus]

We want more teasers about the mortiser!

[@mm9773]

Pinstriping would be very easy for this piece, and I’m 100 % confident that you can do it yourself: take a can of black paint, I would personally suggest semi-gloss, a two inch brush, and go at it. Your pinstripes are done when there isn’t a speck of blue left.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

But the original paint color was gray.

[@mm9773]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo That’s okay, manufacturers make mistakes: just take Record for example. Although I could totally live with gray, personally. Especially the dark, charcoaly type? Pretty cool. But honestly, I wouldn’t worry about pinstripes: one contrast is enough, like painting an old machine in a loud colour. Same with tracing letters (that really gets me going, by the way): they’re in the casting so they didn’t have to paint them on; that’s nice, let’s not trace them. Or stuff like bowties: there’s a contrast in shape and grain, no need to have a contrast in colour as well.

[@hubrigant]

That looks like it would be useful to all the folks in discord planning to make Morris chairs.

[@adelheidsnel5171]

the pedal almost caught your shin James!

[@tomarmstrong1000]

Really nice job of putting this back together. I've been looking forward to seeing this back in action since seeing the earlier video. 👍👍

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic work, James! It looks amazing in blue!!! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@trollforge]

Awesome job James! Looks great! For the slide ways you should really be using ISO68 which is sold as compressor oil.

[@WoodenBoatBen]

Fantastic! The knobs and handles ought to be a contrasting color, so they are easier to see. Chrome? Black?

[@warrenmunn3224]

Pay my flights and accom, now after my surgery I would l do the pinstriping for you (I was thinking pinstriping needed replacing, maybe gold). Not to be snide (well maybe), I thought the solar panels on the roof kept the lights on.

[@Keithmwalton]

Man, your wife is special, James, wire wheeling rust inside the house, my partner is very supportive, but I mighta got a look for that one 😂

[@richtawney9877]

That came out really nice!

[@matthewbowen0]

Great video James!

[@shanksjeffcott8598]

That thing is amazing. I love. The lion feet. And yes do the pin striping

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Thanks for sharing that!

[@egonmilanowski]

I also have a Barnes mortiser and do recommend boring one hole in the mortise. It gives a place for the chips to go and it progresses rather quickly. You did a phenomenal job with the painting and I love that you kept one piece with the original/touched up paint job. This is one tool I wish was still made. I have a Barnes table saw and it is fun, but a modern Saw Stop is heads and tails better than it. A manual, foot powered mortiser is better than modern motor powered mortisers. Modern mortisers just seem to lack the oomph unless they are large floor models. The Barnes is great for repeat mortises.

[@lefteriskoutoufaris4237]

Great job, bouth with the tool and the inspiring videos! Please keep up!

[@dougdavidson175]

Pinstriping would be the frosting and cherry on this; IMHO. Take care & stay safe.

[@Kevin.odonnell]

Use the 3M low tack tape. It’s purple but also it leaves less residue and for guys like us who do things like this it’s more delicate and forgiving too. I learned from a guy that does water damage clean up stuff where he puts up barriers and the paint cannot be damaged or he’s f’ed lol.

[@NickLuker]

Very beautiful. I would think that an automotive painter or glass sign painter would be able to do the pinstriping for you easily. All hail the algorithm. And Google disciples all said "1 standard deviation or less."

[@timothyplumley6004]

That's an awesome body operated piece of machinery, just make your leg days a little bit longer and make a wonderful table with a lot of mortice and tenon joinery... Hope it all works out for you James.😊

[@simonorchard1115]

Traditional white paint spots on the original colour bit you saved 😂

[@nomercadies]

Thank you

[@davewest6788]

Nice dearth void making machine

[@yrtott]

I think you should paint the claws in the same colour that's on the original details.

[@jonway7845]

Very cool tool

[@transmundanium]

I always progress towards the face of the chisel instead of the bevel like you do. I really don't like to see the chisel being wrenched back and forth in the socket like that. But that's just me.

[@guseletov]

Interesting tool, thank you for the video James! ..plus I've learned about shaper :-)

[@wwtrkr3189]

Excellent! 😊

[@theeddorian]

Nice job.

[@henryskinner1092]

I would love to make one.

[@tommoeller7149]

Very cool!

[@davidsmethurst4318]

You will never forsake blue, but I really wish you had used black with light green accents. Maybe set it up for loose tenons😂

[@robertberger8642]

Cool! I’m curious what color you’ll use for the pinstriping; am looking forward to seeing it!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I will probably use a red when the day comes for it.

[@glencrandall7051]

wsy to go. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@Russ0107]

SO COOL!

[@allenguffey9370]

Very cool 😎 tool

[@Joseph-Aten]

Is that a Hand Tool Rescue medium wrench I see

[@SomcoCape]

Hi from South Africa

[@ianpearse4480]

Bigger shop. LOL. Good luck with that request to the long haired colonel.

[@athmostafa2462]

Now that's a beauty 😊.

[@grampytinman3481]

Love the lion's feet

[@natziovergottini8682]

Very cool 😎

[@TWC6724]

So cool

[@bobdriggers6111]

That thing is awesome! You should check out Blackbeard Projects. He is more of a fabricator and knife guy however, he restores all kinds of stuff. I believe he is on the north side of the Mediterranean.

[@mm9773]

Italian. What’s so satisfying about his restoration projects is the beauty of the tools and machines he finds: that ‘Rosa’ drill press he’s got is one of the prettiest machines I’ve ever seen. But I’ve also picked up at least one neat trick from him: putting your small bits into a plastic cup with solvents and placing that cup into an ultrasonic cleaner (filled with water) is quite clever and works great.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I've done a couple collabs with him. But it's been a few years we might have to do another one sometime.

[@multicoloredwiz]

Whoa, small world. Depending on how local that sandblasting company is anyways lol. My pops worked there about 15 years before retiring. Great work! That bad boys gonna be onto the next century now :)

[@nodarikirtadze8220]

Is it me or did the picture quality get better compared to previous videos?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Same equipment we've been using for the last year and a half or so.

[@TheDistur]

Gonna end up with a barn full of Barnes.

[@ytgee2737]

Great restoration video, I loved it. I have had a similar machine for a number of years but I put it into storage because I couldn't find a chisel for it (I don't think it's a Barns). I looked on eBay and couldn't find a chisel, but I think part of the problem is that I don't know what to properly call it. Do you have any suggestions on what "search terms" I should put into eBay, and/or any ideas on where I could find some of the chisels? Thanks, Larry

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

those do not come up often on eBay. to find them it is more about who you know, but they would normally be called morticing machine chisels or morticer chisels

[@ytgee2737]

Thanks, I'll try those search terms 🙂

[@chrisvonpimpenstein]

Nice!

[@stevenolson8504]

I hope you switch legs using this tool. Otherwise one leg will get stringer than the other and you’ll walk in circles

[@phillipbrooks1289]

Comment down below it looks like a lot of fun

[@georgenewlands9760]

Great video and an excellent restoration of an interesting machine. Can’t help wondering though what the tradesmen of the day would have made of it. You know, the guys who chopped mortises day-in-day-out with a pig sticker and mallet. I am not trying to detract from the restoration or indeed the machine itself just wondering where it would fit in the work flow of a busy shop.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It took over the furniture shops when it came out. They sold thousands of them. They went out of style a little before world war II and were replaced with hollow chisel morticers. A lot of them were scrapped for the war effort in world war ii.

[@georgenewlands9760]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Thanks for the reply James…I don’t think they ever made it over here to the U.K., at least I haven’t heard of a foot mortiser, though I stand to be corrected if anyone knows different.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

The foot-powered machines didn't make it across the pond very well. That's one of the reasons why the hand tool tradition stayed on after world war II in England and many parts of europe. Due to the war effort everything in the US flipped completely to power tools and almost no one was using hand tools after the war in the us.

[@christophermahon1851]

Maybe you can trademark that color so all will know that Wright was here.

[@hanssenden4410]

Since I live in the Netherlands, I wonder if you manufactured your wooden shoes yourself?

[@RichardMerrill3Hawk]

Fun!

[@qlue7881]

A woodworker's job is mostly making wood holey

[@MrMNRichardWright]

So do we rate the power in hooves or clogs?

[@JMFuller227]

I know it’s kind of late to bring this up but did you happen to check the paint on that for lead before going to town on it with the wire wheel? Even if lead wasn’t used when it was manufactured, if the tool’s been restored in the past (like you suspect) it’s possible that paint could have contained it.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I did not as I took it to the sand blaster for that. For the wire wheel it was just the sections that were bare metal. If I do it in house I have a test kit for that.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Here's a ?. What wood would you say is the HARDEST to SPLIT???? I've read elm but still asking...?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It would probably be one of the Australian eucalyptus trees. They are deeply into woven and incredibly dense. But if you want to talk about American trees the hardest would be live oak. It is a very twisted grain that interlocks nicely. Is a good interlocking wood but it's a little bit softer and the blade can sink in nicely.

[@michaelsnell4034]

watch up above

[@dpmeyer4867]

blue

[@MichaelJones-ss6ts]

comment down below.